Police Arrest Man in UK After Four Die During Channel Crossing Attempt

A 27-year-old Sudanese man has been detained by British authorities on suspicion of “endangering another during a journey by sea to the UK”. The National Crime Agency (NCA) confirmed that the suspect was taken into custody at a migrant processing centre in Manston, southern England.

The arrest follows a tragic incident involving four people who died while attempting to cross the English Channel from France. According to the NCA, two men and two women were swept away by the current after trying to board a small boat with dozens of others off the coast of Saint-Etienne-au-Mont, near Calais in northern France.

The suspect is being held and interviewed by officers, who are also speaking to those who made the journey. The NCA stated that an ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths and the launch of the boat is being led by French prosecutors.

The incident marks the first reported deaths in the Channel this year. In a statement, the NCA Deputy Director Craig Turner said that the agency would work with international partners to identify and bring those responsible for the deaths to justice.

The minister for migration and citizenship, Mike Tapp, added that law enforcement teams would continue to prevent such perilous journeys and bring those responsible to justice. The incident has been described as a “tragedy” by officials.

Source: Al Jazeera